Tigers land commitment from top 2014 QB

The Clemson Tigers continued its National Signing Day festivities, adding a 2014 verbal commitment to the 2012 signees and 2013 verbal D.J. GreenleeD.J. GreenleeLinebacker6-2, 210Central, SCView Full Profile when quarterback DeShaun WatsonDeShaun WatsonQuarterback6-3, 190Gainesville, GAView Full Profile of Gainesville, Ga., called offensive coordinator Chad Morris earlier this afternoon.

Watson, projected to be one of the region’s top dual threat prospects for 2014, said it was the right time despite still having two years of having high school remaining.

“I committed because I just love the campus and the academic programs and all the coaches,” Watson told TigerNet Wednesday afternoon. “I have been going to every game and visiting there all season long, and I just felt at home. I am happy with my decision.”

As a sophomore, Watson connected on 229-of-337 passes for 3,221 yards with 41 touchdowns, the most in the state of Georgia, and six interceptions. He also rushed 156 times for 1,073 yards and 16 touchdowns, leading the Red Elephants to a 12-2 record.

As a freshman, Watson led Gainesville to a 10-3 mark, passing for 2,100 yards, 17 touchdowns and five interceptions. He added 500 rushing yards and five touchdowns.

The 6-3, 195-pounder and probable future 4-star signal caller said he also got input from his parents before calling the Clemson coaches.

“They just told me that if I’m happy, it’s fine with them,” Watson said. “I took them up to Junior Day this past weekend, and they loved it. They talked with all the coaches and they loved everything about it.”

Watson said he called Morris shortly after 3 p.m., just as head coach Dabo SwinneyDabo SwinneyHead CoachView Full Profile was finishing his NSD session with the Clemson media and a session with ESPN.

“Coach Morris and Coach Swinney were very excited,” he said. “They just said that if I am All In, then they are All In and the plan is to not give an offer to a 2013 quarterback unless they have to or need to, and they are looking forward to getting me on campus.”

He said the call with Morris started out as a normal recruiting call but quickly morphed into a verbal commitment.

“We were just talking and having a normal conversation,” he said. “Then I just told him that I had talked it over with my mom and my family and Coach Miller, and I had decided to accept the offer and commit to Clemson. He asked me again if I was dead serious and I told him yes. Then he got excited and told all the coaches. He had to go and get Coach Swinney out of the ESPN meeting. I talked to him and he gave me his All In speech. I told him I was All In, 100 percent.”